Step Learning Experiences Model

The Role of Mass Media in Promoting Education

The rapid developments that have taken place in recent years in the field of information technology, have paved the way for revolutionary changes in higher education, in terms of both methodologies   and   concept.   

Conventionally, the transfer of information has been through  the  media  of  letters,  books,  telephone,  radio, video,   television   and   computers.

Media has immense potentialities for augmenting education facilities and improving the qualities of education. It includes the Internet, various modern and traditional media radio, television, video  recorder, audio  recorder, films,  printing  materials and graphics etc. With a view to make education available to various learner groups of vast diversities and entering to the requirements of different curricular courses, media support is essential. These media need to be used in seminars, symposia conferences, meetings, workshops, demonstration and  so  on, besides classroom teaching.

All media materials with the support of teaching machines, computers, TV and radio can make education very effective as well as interesting.

News media and Information Technology has direct influence on all areas of education.

"Media" refers to various means of communication. For example, television, radio, and the newspaper are different types of media.

Radio, Television, Print and Cinema are the mediums of media which play important roles in enhancing the progress of education and bringing in innovative means of learning.

The mediums which the media utilises include internet resources, blog, newspaper, documentaries, magazines and social media.

Functions of the Media

Technological media  enable  the  adaptability  of  the educational process to the individual student’s differences – in pace, temperament, background, and style of learning. These media can perform many of the following functions involved in the educational process:

•    They can store information until it is needed or wanted.

•     They can distribute it over distances to reach the student wherever he happens to be, instead of bringing him to the teacher.

•     They can present the information to the student through various senses and in many modes.

•    They can give  the  student the  opportunity to  reach the material and respond in many ways.

Socialization Agent

There goes an old adage in Kannada saying - for a child, school in infancy is home. But now a new adage is coined substituting the old by saying - for a child Media is the first school.   Indeed! Media is  influencing the process of socialization. Whether we like it or not, we have been encircled by its influence. Newspaper, Radio, Television, Cinema, Internet etc., have outgrown themselves from mass communicator to influence our day to day activities and are leaving deep imprint on our attitude, conduct and ideologies.

Global village

Marshall McLuhan's phrase 'the global village' suggests that people of the world can be brought closer together by the globalization of communication. The globalization of communication enables us to share in each other's lives.

In today's life, media glare is visible everywhere in several forms.  It has opened up many vistas in all spheres of life - social and economical; art and culture; tradition, information and publicity; education and entertainment; politics etc., It has become a voice for the neglected classes. Thus, in the present scenario, media has become part and parcel of our life.

In spite of growing concern of media's internal com- petition and its fall out on social responsibility, it has not lagged behind in fostering education.

The different medias used in Education

1.      Print Media

Media provides education in two ways - one formal and another informal.  In formal type, it directly imparts syllabus based education to students. Radio and  Television  are  broadcasting  such programmes in various formats. In recent years, even the Print media is publishing syllabus based articles. Radio and television have extended their helping hand by broadcasting educational programmes for educationally deprived classes and motivates them to pursue their education through distance education.

Through this, students can learn and understand their syllabus much similar to the students learning in the class-rooms.

Prime Resource

Print media, an uncrowned king which is in existence for over a century and half is a major partner in Mass Media. In recent times, it is facing stiff competition from the electronic media and technology supported channels.  Even then it is moving forward with full strength by keeping its ground intact.   In print media, newspapers and magazines have a lion share. Newspapers and magazines educate the people on political, social, economical, educational and cultural developments.

Educational supplements:

In addition to the routine publication, in recent times, English and Kannada dailies are bringing out Educational supplements on weekly basis. In-depth articles on challenges of education, innovation in educational sector, experiments in teaching-learning process find a place in the supplements.  Add to it, almost all Kannada Newspapers are focusing their attention towards publishing syllabus based education for SSLC and PUC students. Text book based articles for a few degree courses are also published. This is a boon for the students to refresh their school teaching and improve upon their own understanding of studies.  In a bid to bring students to the reading table and to cultivate the habit of reading, newspapers are publishing and supplying additional supplement to the schools and colleges in targeted areas so as to wean their attention on the core issue of education.

Publication on career guidance and employment opportunities are helping the unemployed youth.

Thus, newspapers are providing formal and informal education. Many researchers have confirmed the fact that such kinds of publications have really helped the target group.

2.      Television

Among all, television is the most powerful medium in the electronic media. It almost succeeded in quickening the pace of development and education.

It has enormous strength to attract both literates and illiterates and has equal strength in effective communication. In India also, television has been used for educational purpose to a great extent. For this, a separate exclusive channel named DD Gyanadarshan has been made operational Based on Syllabus

Now, Doordarshan is presenting syllabus based programmes for primary to post-graduation level. These programmes are produced for the respective classes/courses on the basis of prescribed syllabus in a very systematic and interesting format. In a way, these programmes are encyclopedias on its own right from which required/additional information can be accrued.   Educational programmes coming from Doordarshan are supportive and are in line with the lectures given in the class rooms and circulated printed material.

The Programmes

Information about admissions, examinations, tutoring, counseling etc., can be passed on to the learners instantly. Moreover, such information can be transmitted at national, regional or local level in the learners' own languages and even in their dialects.

Educational Programmes

As already mentioned, two types of educational programmes are telecast-formal education and developmental  education-currently.     These programmes are intended primarily to educate learners. They are related to specific curricula, say those of the school or the university. These programmes are primarily supplementary in nature, and provide enriching experiences for the learners. Thus, these programmes, as additional sources of information, support face-to-face teaching or printed text materials available to distance learners. Indira Gandhi National Open University is moving towards certain other uses of television-complementary and integrated programmes. Nowadays, Doordarshan telecasts the following types of formal education programmes:

i. Educational Television (ETV): These programmes cater to primary school children of 5-11 year age group. ETV enrichment programmes are planned, produced and evaluated by the Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) and its counterparts in (SIETs). The programmes are telecast by Doordarshan through satellite in the children's instructional languages. Primary school children view these programmes on community sets. An ETV capsule of 45 minutes duration.  (consists of two programmes of 20 minutes each with five minutes changeover time)

ii. School Television (STV):

STV programmes, started on October 24, 1961, are meant for students of the secondary and the higher secondary schools. These programmes are produced and telecast by Doordarshan. As per information available, four Doordarshan Kendras-Delhi, Bombay, Madras and Srinagar, are engaged in the production of STV programmes for the students of their respective coverage areas. These programmes are strictly syllabus based and are telecast during school hours.

iii.  Higher Education Television (HETV):

With an objective to bring a qualitative change in higher education, University Grants Commission (UGC) has started Higher Education Television (HTV) programmes through Doordarshan.  In fact, Doordarshan took a revolutionary step on 15th August, 1984  by introducing countrywide  class  room programme based upon the syllabus formulated by EMRCs established by various states including Karnataka (Mysore) for higher studies/courses. These programmes are telecast all over India on regular basis. UGC programmes are produced for telecast focusing completely on the prescribed topics from Languages, Science, Social Science, Mathematics, Engineering & Technology, Medicine etc.

iv.   Indira Gandhi National Open University

(IGNOU): Lakhs of students from all over country are pursuing their education through distance education from Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU).  To enrich the knowledge base of its students, IGNOU is supplying printed material, audio-video CDs containing syllabus based lessons to the students. On screen lectures delivered by subject experts provides the feel of class room.  Moreover, in addition to the TV coaching, print material is also provided to strengthen and expand the knowledge base of students.  In this way educational programmes of Doordarshan have become boon for the students.

This is how Doordarshan takes active part in the betterment of education.

v. Teachers' Programmes:

In order to make the primary school teachers aware of the innovations in teaching-learning processes, management of televised instruction, child psychology, etc., the Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET) produces programmes for teachers, known as 'Hints for Teachers'.

3.      Radio - a senior component of electronic media has maintained a very good influence. By and large it covered almost all parts of our country reaching public everywhere.  

Programmes:

Jnanavani - an exclusive channel for educational broadcast has been started in recent years. This channel is broadcasting various programmes on education. "Chukki Chinna" (Star Gold),"Chinnara chukki" (Child Star) etc., syllabus based programmes in Kannada language have been conceived, produced and broadcast for the benefit of primary and secondary school students. Programmes on language learning have also been arranged on radio.  In this way, radio has devoted its services for formal type of education.

Radio has done remarkable service in educational broadcast.   Besides airing syllabus based it is also trying to expand the horizon of their knowledge base by broadcasting programmes like "Palaka Darshini" (information on health);"Sasya Sanjivini" "Sasya Surabhi" "Sasya siri" (information on medicinal plants); "Dhareya siri" (information on biological plants). It is revealed in one of the audience research reports that numerous students have registered their Baravanige" (Radio Writing); "Mahila Sabalikarana" (women empowerment), "Akka kelavva" (Listen Sister).

4.      New Media

In recent times, Invention of mobiles, internet, and blogs have made revolutionary changes in the field of Mass Media.  

a)      Blogs – what are they

•         Online diary style website

•         Quick and easy web publishing

•         Offer instant communication

•         Regularly updated

•         Require little technical knowledge

•         A social / networking activity

•         Links to other online resources

Blogs - potential uses

•         Replacing standard class web pages

•         Professor-written blogs which cover interesting developments that relate to the theme of the course

•         Organization of in-class discussion

•         Organization of intensive seminars where students have to provide weekly summaries of the readings

•         Requiring students to write their own blogs as part of their grade

•         Writing up as you go along

•         Floating new or embryonic ideas

•         Dissemination of research results

Great potential for reflection?

b)     SlideShare - what is it?

•         Upload PowerPoint presentations so they are freely available online

•         Easily embeddable in other services e.g. blogs

•         Add an mp3 soundtrack / narration and sync it with the slides

•         YouTube for PowerPoint

•         Community features such as tags, comments, favourites, related SlideCasts etc.

•         http://www.slideshare.net/

SlideShare - possible uses

•         Disseminating lecture material for revision purposes

•         Discuss lecture material using the comments feature to aid understanding

•         As a student assignment assessing virtual presentation skills

•         Find other presentations on your topic - save reinventing the wheel

•         Building up a body of resources over time on a particular topic

•         Drawing together conference / seminar materials using a common tag or keyword

c)      Podcasts – what are they?

A podcast is …

•         Audio – videos are more likely to be learning objects and vlogging does not need RSS

•         Regular – one audio file does not constitute a podcast, must have a sense of regularity

Podcasts – potential uses

•         Distance learning / self-paced learning

•         Advanced or supplementary material

•         Choice depending on learning style

•         Promotion of research

•         Topical updates related to lecture material

•         Replace the lecture

•         Student assessment and feedback

•         Collecting data in the field

d)     YouTube – what is it?

•         Number one video sharing site on the Internet

•         Ten of millions of videos are watched each and every day

•         Vast majority of videos are "user generated content" - made by people like you and me

Teaching on you tube

YouTube – possible uses

•         Distance learning

•         Supplementary lectures (e.g. research skills, presentation skills)

•         Contextualising an issue, e.g. old news footage

•         Perspectives for students to examine critically (news coverage, activist videos, TED lectures)

•         Student video assignment?

e)      Twitter - what is it?

•         Asks what are you up to right now?

•         Limited to just 140 characters

•         Like the status update feature on Facebook - and that's all

•         Follow people you know, those you don't, organisations, publications

•         Part blog, part social networking site

http://twitter.com/

Twitter - possible uses

•         Pointers to online resources based around a course

•         Student reminders about deadlines

•         Breaking down barriers and getting to know others over this

•         Keeping up to date for you and students

•         Instant lecture feedback - are you Twittering about this presentation?

f)       WIKIS

•         This is a developing tool and one that is just being trialled, but it has the potential to be an exciting web page for each class. Pages on different areas of learning can be created and links added.

g)      Facebook:

What is Facebook?

n  Social networking website connecting people across the street, country and world

n  Focuses on building and relating social relations among people who share common interests, activities and experiences

Who uses Facebook?

n  Most recognized social networking site in the world;

n  Allows continuous contact to and from anyone in the world with an Internet connection

Conclusion: There is a need to formulate perfect guidelines for use of media in education. the following suggestions can be considered:

Potential of Media as an educational medium has yet to be realized fully. In this regard, Media policy should be designed from the point of view of the needs of the users, the citizens. Utilise ICTs to promote education and empowerment, giving citizens access to information. Give priority to broadcast or print the educational issues in the media. Publish the successful and unsuccessful events, story of the people in education. Media will be responsible in communication and dissemination of educational plans and programme, work as watchdog, implement educational activities and awareness programmes in the community, and special programs for targeted parents. Awareness on educational programmes need to be enhanced through advertisements and publicity. Encouragement has to be given towards the creation of more educational FM stations to be established and run at college levels throughout the country. Local inputs and interaction should be made a regular feature in the educational radio and TV programmes. Prepare and disseminate different types of educational awareness programmes on a massive scale.

“Use media Sensibly and Intellectually”